"Exactly what we needed": Coach Craig Fulton after India's 15-0 win over Kazakhstan in Asia Cup

Rajgir (Bihar) [India], September 2 (ANI): The Indian Men's Hockey Team produced a breathtaking performance in their final Pool A clash of the Asia Cup Rajgir, Bihar 2025, thrashing Kazakhstan 15-0 at the Rajgir Hockey Stadium. The hosts were relentless in attack, with as many as three players, Jugraj Singh, Sukhjeet Singh, and Abhishek, scoring hat-tricks.
Head coach Craig Fulton expressed satisfaction with the team's attacking display, highlighting how the win has boosted confidence ahead of the knockout stage.
"I think it was exactly what we needed....The front six did really well, a lot of guys scored goals, so it was a nice, difficult game because we've already got through, you know, on the first two games, but I'm glad we got no injuries, but guys are feeling good about the game," said Fulton.
"Yeah, well, it's back-to-back, it's nice in terms of how we train, it's what the Pro League was about, it's about what we've been practising, so yeah, I think also playing at night helps a little bit and we like playing night games, full house crowds are good, good energy," he added.
Captain Harmanpreet Singh also found the back of the net once and shared the pre-match discussion.
"We had discussed earlier how we wanted to start," Harmanpreet said.
"Whenever we get chances, we must convert them into team goals," said the Indian captain.
The other scorers were Amit Rohidas (29'), Sanjay (54'), and Dilpreet Singh (55'), who also got on the scoresheet. India, who had already qualified for the Super 4s, finished the league stage at the top of the points table in Pool A with nine points from three games.
Along expected lines, the Indian Men's Hockey Team started off on the front foot. Kazakhstan did well to absorb the pressure initially, but Abhishek (5') found himself in space and hammered it home from the top of the circle to make it 1-0 to India.
The Kazakhstan side did make a few forays into the India half, but before they could do much damage, Abhishek (8') doubled the lead with a powerful hit. Just before the end of the first quarter, captain Harmanpreet Singh had his shot from the Penalty Corner stopped. And right after, Abhishek set it up for Sukhjeet Singh (15'), who tapped it into the net to make it 3-0 at the hooter.
In the second quarter, India continued to dominate proceedings and had the lion's share of possession as well. Early on, Captain Harmanpreet Singh was denied again of a Penalty Corner, this time by the goal post. However, a little later, Abhishek (20') showed great skill to finish it off and complete his hat-trick.
Kazakhstan responded with a Penalty Corner of their own, too, but India held strong at the back. Close to the half-hour mark, India finally got their Penalty Corner conversion as Jugraj Singh (24') stepped up and smashed it into the top corner.
A couple of minutes later, Captain Harmanpreet Singh (26') followed suit from another Penalty Corner. The one-way traffic continued, and Amit Rohidas (29') too got on the scoresheet, with a rasping hit from another Penalty Corner. At half-time, India led, 7-0.
The first minute of the third quarter produced a penalty stroke for India, and Jugraj Singh (31') rifled it home. Moments later, Mandeep Singh's mazy run helped set up Rajinder Singh (32') for his first of the day. It continued to go from bad to worse for Kazakhstan, as Sukhjeet Singh (32') made it 10-0.
Kazakhstan could not find a way out of its half, as India continued to attack. And midway through the quarter, Sukhjeet Singh (38') added to the tally, making it 11-0. India continued to attack relentlessly, but Kazakhstan were able to hold on in the final minutes of the quarter, and went into the break with no goals scored.
In the final phase of play, the trend continued, and India scored within the first few minutes. A penalty stroke fell to Jugraj Singh (47'), and he smashed it home without any hesitation. From then on, Kazakhstan attempted to consolidate and expand its influence through a series of moves.
Sanjay (54') got his name on the scoresheet too. A minute later, Dilpreet Singh (55') made it 14-0, much to the joy of the home fans. In the final minutes, Abhishek (59') added a fourth goal to his name and put the seal on what was a comfortable win for the hosts. (ANI)